DATE=12/14/1999 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT TITLE=CHINA / U-S / SCIENTIST (L) NUMBER=2-257123 BYLINE=STEPHANIE HO DATELINE=BEIJING CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: China is lashing out at accusations against a Taiwan-born Chinese-American scientist, who has been accused of mishandling secret U-S nuclear weapons data. V-O-A's Stephanie Ho reports from Beijing. TEXT: U-S government scientist Wen Ho Lee was fired from his job at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in March, under suspicion of spying for China. He has been in jail since being indicted Friday, on charges of illegally taking nuclear secrets from the weapons lab. Although Mr. Lee was not formally charged with espionage, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue told reporters Tuesday his ongoing case reflects anti-China sentiment in the United States. Ms. Zhang, speaking through an interpreter, said the Chinese government thinks the charges against Mr. Lee are trumped up. // ZHANG INTERPRETER ACT // I would like to point out here that some people in the United States cling stubbornly to Cold War mentality and fabricate the lies on the so-called China theft of nuclear technology from the U-S, with ulterior motives, in an attempt to defame China and China / U-S relations. // END ACT // Mr. Lee is a Taiwan-born U-S citizen. His supporters in the United States say he is a victim of racial bias because of his Asian heritage. Ms. Zhang declined to say whether she thinks Mr. Lee's case reflects misunderstanding of China or of Chinese- Americans. // ZHANG INTERPRETER ACT // I think it will come more and more clear with passage of time, and I will not give any comments on the case, itself. // END ACT // At a hearing Monday, a U-S federal judge decided Mr. Lee is a danger to U-S security and has ordered him kept in jail without bond. Mr. Lee's attorneys offered to post a 100-thousand dollar bond and put their client on electronic surveillance to make sure he does not leave his Los Alamos home. The former U-S government scientist has pleaded not guilty. He could face life in prison if convicted on 59 charges of illegally taking top secret nuclear weapons data from secure computers at the government lab. The trial is due to take place next year. Mr. Lee has repeatedly denied allegations he helped China steal U-S nuclear secrets. The Chinese government has also steadfastly rejected the charges. (SIGNED) NEB/HO/FC 14-Dec-1999 04:13 AM EDT (14-Dec-1999 0913 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
